Pressure equalizing means for heating systems



June 23, 1931. A. J. RUDOLPH 1,811,406

PRESSURE EQUALIZING MEANS FOR HEATING SYSTEMS Filed Nov. 29. 1927 1 I 1 I I I I 1 c I I 7 6 10 i a 2 0 c 4 a I l I iwfi j; 11

'3 m \a a/ i f j l z r ii 'l l I I ll Z 2 INVENTORC 6 ATTORNEY Patented June 23, 1931 PATENT OFFICE ALFRED J. RUDOLPH, OF BYWOOD, PENNSYLVANIA PRESSURE EQUALIZIN G MEANS FOR HEATING SYSTEMS Application filed November 29, 1927. Serial No. 236,408.

In heating or similar systems in which the heating medium consists of a fluid such as water, steam or vapor, it is essential to the attainment of the best results that the pres sures in the feed and return pipes be maintained in equalized relation to each other.

The object of the invention is to provide means of simple construction for embodiment in the feed and return lines of the system in proper relation to the heat-radiating elements or structures of the system to maintain an operative balanced relation between the pressures in the said feed and intermediate return lines.

It also is an object of the invention to provide means within the feed and return lines in opposed relation to each other and in operative relation to the heat-radiating elements or structures of the system for maintaining an operative balanced relation between the pressures and which at the same time will permit practically free passage or flow of the fluid through the said feed and return lines.

' I-shall not at this time undertake to indi cate in greater detail the'nature, scope and objects of the invention, but the character and the objects of the invention will be referred to or made apparent in and by the detailed description thereof which follows:

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a view partlyin elevation and partly in vertical section of feed and return pipe lines provided with means embodying the invention and showing in elevation an heat-radiating element or structure of the system and its connections to the said lines, the floor upon which the heat-radiating element is located being indi- -heating element or radiator 1, to which a heating fluid is supplied through a horizontal section of-pipe. 2, the outer end of which is connected to an opening in a nipple or projection 3, provided upon one side oi a device t which may be described as being of general Y-shape. To the opposite ends of the device 4 the adjoining opposed ends of sections 5 and 6, constituting parts of a supply pipe line, are connected. The opposite side of the heating element 1 is connected by means of a horizontal section of pipe 10 in like manner to the device 4: to the opposite ends of which the adjoining opposed ends of sections 5 and 6 of a return pipe line are connected. It will be understood that the supply line, including sections 5 and 6 and other similar sections, extends from the heated fluid supply, usually located in the bottom of a building, to the top of the building or to the topmost floor thereof which is supplied with heating means; and likewise that the return pipe line extends from the top of the building or from the topmost floor back of the pipe 2 or 10, as the case may be. 3

The inner edge or end of the tapered or V-shaped portion 11 is so located that the areas between the same and the points an and Z) are substantially equal respectively to the internal transverse area of the respective pipes 5 and 5; and also so that the area between the same and the point 0 is substantially equal to the internal transverse areas of the respective pipes 6 and 6. Upon reference to the supply pipe line shown in Fig.

1 it will be apparent that as the heating fluid, such as Water, steam or vapor, flows upwardly and as it passes from one section ot the pipe to another it contacts with or imain es u on the inwardl and transversel extending tapered projection 11 and is deflected thereby toward the pipe 2 and to the heating element 1. This action results in a flow of or in a pressure tending to cause the fluid to flow toward and into the heating element 1, but the flow of the fluid from the section to the section 6 and through similar sections at other points in the system is not retarded to such an extent as to interfere ith' the proper or necessary flow of the heating fluid upwardly through thesaid line. "Likewise the pressure and flow 0t the fluid in the return pipe line are controlled; The contact with or impingingof the fluid upon the upper side of the tapered or V-shaped projectionll in the return pipe line causes a back pressure within the discharge line from the heating element 1 to retard or which tends :to iretard the "flow of fluid from the said element. In other words, the devices l, located in opposed re- "line, on opposite sides of the heating ele- 'JIIBIIi- 1, operate to inaintaina proper relation of pressures'andconsequent flow-0t the v heating fluid in the two lines and to thereby efi 'ect greater efiiciency in operation of the system.

In Fig.2 of the-drawings I have shown a slightly modified construction in which two heating elements 1 are provided upon "the same level or upon the same floor to which the heating fluid is supplied by a-centrallv disposed supply pipe line comprising sections 5 and6, such as 'are'shown in F 1. Return pipe lines, comprising sections 5 and-6, are provided upon the opposite sides of the heat radiating elements or structures "1, as is shown. The devices 4 provided 'between the sections 5- and 6 in Fig. 2 identical With the devices shown and correspondingly numbered in drawings. a

'The adjoining opposed ends o'f'the-section's of pipe 5 and 6, constituting parts of the supply pipe line in Fig. 2, are united by means o'ta connecting device 4 similar in construction to the corresponding device previously designated by the numeral 1 The diflerence, however, is that the adjoining opposed ends of the. horizontal sections of pipe 15 and'16 are united to the opposite ends of the said device, While the adjoining opposed ends of the sections 5 and 6 are connected to the opposite sides ot the intermediate portion of said device. In other words, the upper end-ofthe pipe 5 is secured in an opening provided in a projection '17 which corresponds to and extends in the direction of the tail of a Y,'while the lower end orad'joi-ning opposing endof the section 6 is secured in :an opening provided in the opposite side of the device 4 in provided with an opening extending therethrough in which the lower end of tlle sec- :tion of pipe 6 is secured. The said projecl' of the 1 l V have provided in a :liea ting system novel ent is the principle of operation of the system to the right and to the left, respectively, and supply fluid to theheating elements 1 located upon opposite sides of the intermediate supply pipe line, while the third stream flowsupwardly into and through the section of pipe 6. v V

It will be understood that there are as many sections of the pipes 5-.and:6.and 5 kandG Zin the system as there are dilierent levels or floors to be heated.

The operation of thesystem as disclosed in Fig. 2 and the relation ot the pressures between the two return pipe ilines and the single supply pipe line effected in ac-' cordance with the same principle and identically intthe same way as has been set forth in the description of the -simpler structure illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

It will be understood that-ztlie number of the supply and return @pipe lines and .heating elements o' radiators may :be selected wto meet the conditions as they mayiexist 111 any particular buildingor structure-which is-tobe heated, andalso asanayhe required to ineett'he design .01? the architect or :person designing and building the structure.

It will be seen that by my invention I :means of simple construction operating in a :inannertoiefiect a proper relation between the pressures and ithe flow of the heating fluid -in the :supply'iand return pipe lines whereby the efiiciencyof the system may he greatly improved or enhanced.

Having thus described imyinvention, what I claimanddesire tosecure by Letters Pat- '1. A heating systeni comprising-heatra diating :ineans, a supply pipe for supplying aheated "fluid to said means, a return pipe for conveying the said fluid from saidheat radiating 11163.118, means for =connecting the supply 'pi pe-to-the said heata'adia'ting means, means vfor connecting, the said return pipe to the said heat radiating means, and .means embodied in each of said pipes which tend -:'to cause ithe heated fluid to new :theretrom throu'ghthe said connections toward'the said heat radiating means to thereby balance the pressures of the heated *fluid in jsaidiheat radiating means. .1

2. A heating system comprising a -:heat

radiating means, .a supply .pipe for supplying a heated fluid to thesaid heat radiating through the said heat radiating means, the

said means embodied in each of said pipes permitting the fluid to flow freely through both the supply pipe and the return pipe.

3. Pressure equalizing means for heating systems which includes a supply pipe through which a heated fluid flows, a return pipe through which said fluid flows, a connection including a heat radiator extending from the supply pipe to the return pipe through which said heated fluid flows, and means in the supply and return pipes located in adjoining relation to the opposite ends of said connection, the said means tending to cause the fluid to flow in opposite directions through the said connection to thereby create opposing pressures in the said connection.

4. A heating system comprising a heat radiating element, a supply pipe for heated fluid, a return pipe through which fluid flows from the said heat radiating elements, a

horizontal pipe connection between the said heat radiating element and the said supply pipe, a horizontal pipe connection between the said heat radiating element and the said return pipe, and devices embodied in both the supply pipe and the return pipe, the said devices acting upon the fluid flowing through the said supply pipe and through the said return pipe to create oppositely acting pressures through the said horizontal pipe connections to thereby eiiect equalization between the pressures in the supply pipe and the return pipe.

5. A heating system comprising two heat radiating elements, a supply pipe leading from a source of heated fluid and located intermediate said heat radiating elements, two return pipes for returning the fluid to the said source, pipe connections leading from the supply pipe to said heat radiating elements, a pipe leading from one of the said heat radiating elements to one of said return pipes, a pipe leading from the other of said heat radiating elements to the other of said return pipes, means within the supply pipe for directing portions of the fluid which may be flowing therethrough into the said pipe connections through which they are supplied to the said heat radiating elements and for permitting the remaining portion of a heated fluid to said heat radiating element, a return pipe through which the heated fluid flows, a pipe connection between the said supply pipe and the said heat radiating elementthrough which heated fluid flows to the said radiating element, a pipe connection between the said heat radiating element and the said return pipe through which heated fluid flows from said heat radiating element to said return pipe, a device located in the said supply pipe for directing heated fluid from said supply pipe through said first named pipe connection to the said heat radiating element, and a device located in said return pipe for retarding the flow of heated fluid through said second named pipe connection to thereby maintain the desired relationship between the pressures in the supply pipe and the return pipe.

7. A heating system comprising a heat radiating element, a supply pipe, a return pipe, a connection between the said pipes through which fluid flows from the supply l pipe to the return pipe, the said connection including the said heat radiating element, a device embodied 111 each of said pipes each of which devices includes means whereby a portion of the fluid flowing through the pipe containing the same is deflected into the said connection, substantially as described.

8. A heating system comprising a heat radiating element, a supply pipe through which a heated fluid medium flows, a return pipe through which the heated fluid medium flows from the said heat radiating element, a pipe connection between the said supply pipe and the said return pipe, the said coniiection including the said heat radiating element, and devices embodied in the said supply and return pipes, the device embodied in the said supply pipe including means which deflects a portion of the heated fluid medium flowing through the said supply 

